A church doesn’t partner for Innové Studios simply for the positive PR from the surrounding community, but hey, it’s not a bad outcome, to be sure. When Houston First Presbyterian Church partnered with Innové Studios, they wanted to engage their members in mission and launch new social ventures, but they were also aware of the reputation for being self-serving that the American church has developed in the broader culture.

But just days after Houston First Presbyterian Church announced their social venture winners, the story is getting picked up and shared. Below are some excerpts from the recent writeup in the Houston Chronicle:

What began as budget surplus in 2015 followed by two years of planning became a contest that would involve more than 100 church members and would equip and fund Houston area social entrepreneurship ventures.

and

“I’ve had this dream and this vision for a long time, but it never seemed possible. I didn’t know how I’d ever do it, and then Project Flourish came along. Even if I had not been one of the winners, going through the process has been an incredible experience with the people I’ve met with the other projects and the professional people who have stepped up to help,” she said.

and

“We’ve been a part of a number of programs geared toward social enterprises, and this one was unique in the sense that the fellowship opportunities with literally the people you’re competing with were so rich and strong. We developed a lot of really strong friendships and relationships with people we were competing with,” he said.

It’s a good story of the good work a church is doing in their local community. Here’s the full article: https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/news/article/Church-awards-240-000-to-social-entrepreneurship-12784586.php